Difference in Insecticides and Fungicides

Common garden insects such as cabbage worms and other caterpillars, aphids (plant lice) and so forth, can cause considerable damage unless timely and efficient control measures are employed.

Similarly, plant diseases such as black spot, the bane of rose growers, mildew and various other diseases cause defoliation and serious loss of plant vigor if uncontrolled.

When a home gardener is buying a product for use against insects or diseases, it is important to fully understand what the individual component or components of the product will do.

For example, common insecticides such as malathion and the Sevin, will only control insects. They are useless against fungus diseases.

Conversely, common fungicides such as Captan will only control diseases and are useless against insects. Some products contain both fungicides and insecticides, and these will control both insects and diseases as stated on the label.

It is, therefore, important when buying a pesticide product that one should check the label carefully to determine whether the specific uses for the product will fulfill your needs.

After buying a pesticide product, it is equally important to use it correctly, and this can only be done by Reading the Entire Directions and Caution Statements Carefully Before Use.

Small Yard Landscaping

Question: I have a small yard but want to landscape it and a terrace area to get the most impact possible, do you have any landscaping ideas for small yards? Benjamin, NJ.

By the way… Do you know what reveals your house and landscape, enhances the setting, extends the hours of enjoyment, provides safety and more? Answer Here!

Answer: Landscaping small yards does not mean you lose all landscape ideas and design elements. Some people have small front yards and other tiny back yards but you can still do a variety of things to make a small yard look great and use space wisely.

As with most landscaping projects, large or small, front yard or back, a japanese garden or accommodating a dog - planning the design is key. Everything from design, working with the space available to plants that fit the area but are not overpowering - spend the time and plan!

Be realistic, your space is limited so large boulders and rocks, a breath-taking flower garden, or a large pond are out. However, you can create a beautiful landscape to surround your home, and incorporate into your lifestyle with comfort.

Build Up Not Out

Since the space is "limited" build up using raised flower beds for your plants. You can do this easily yourself and save some money along the way. One positive of small yard landscaping is - your landscaping cost should also be lower - so enjoy that benefit.

Another landscape idea for small yards is to plant in containers only - container gardening is a great option for terrace landscaping to maximize space and impact. You can mix in seasonal colors and change things out when they "lose color."

Container gardening usually takes up less overall space and you can move the landscape around if needed for an outdoor party. The containers can also be part of the landscape design. Planters today come in so many size and shapes and have their own design flare.

Watch the Colors

When designing think about the colors you want your small yard to have. Colors can "effect" the space to give different perceptions. Cool colors like blue can actually make a space look larger. Plants like evergreens can offer your yard a feeling of largeness - Blue spruce and Alberta pine are good examples.

Don’t Rule Out a Rock Garden

Another landscaping idea to consider even for small landscape spaces is a small rock garden. Rock gardens when well-designed make attractive focal points, conversation topics and can offer unique features in small areas. Does your property have a little corner or nook on the property- even on a raised bed up against the house, will work for a small rock garden.

With small spaces take the time to choose the rocks carefully, find ones that complement each other. The same goes for the plants - choose plants that look like the go naturally with the rocks and will not spread out too much, you don’t want to cover the rocks. The purpose of the rock garden is to draw the eye - it doesn’t need to be massive.

Yes, You can have Water!

If a water feature is really what you want, it is possible for a small one in a limited landscape area. Small water features along the lines of serenity fountains can be purchased for outdoor use. You may even consider a birdbath to create a feeling of elegance to the small yard. A small water feature carries a lower price, lower maintenance and a lot of value compared to installing a large pond or backyard waterfall. Just like containers water features - fountains, birdbaths, small pools come in a variety of types and designs, you should be able to find one to fit the size and the look of your yard.

Even if small yards, the landscape design can enlarge the look of the space in an attractive manner. Take the steps to carefully consider the design, use small features and cool colors. Look at what would help give your small place of paradise a touch of elegance, one you feel relaxed in, offers entertainment value and fits your lifestyle.

A Gardener’s Quick Reference Guide to 50 Garden Perennials

There are so many different types of perennials for you to chose from that it may be difficult to decide which ones are best suited to your garden. Here is a quick reference guide:

Name	Color	Season	Height	Planting Remarks
ACONITE	blue, white	June	2 ft.	Plant 6 in. apart. Shade tolerant.
ALPINE ROCK CRESS	white	April	1 ft.	Plant 9 in. apart. Spreads widely.
AMERICAN COLUMBINE	red, yellow	April	1 1/2 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart. Self-sowing.
AMUR ADONIS	yellow	April	1 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart. Shade tolerant.
ANEMONE	rose	Aug.-Sept.	1 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart, in partial shade.
AZURE MONKSHOOD	blue	Sept.-Oct.	3 ft.	Plant 9 in. apart. Shade tolerant.
BABY’S BREATH	white	June-July	21/2 ft.	Plant 3 ft. apart. Drain soil well.
BEAR’S BREECH	lilac, rose	July-Aug.	3 ft.	Needs lots of sun and good drainage.
BLOOD PINK	scarlet	July	1/4 ft-	Plant 6 in. apart. Usually spreads.
BLUE PHLOX	lavender	May	lft.	Plant 9 in. apart. Grows wild.
BUTTERFLY WEED	orange	July-Aug.	2 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart, in dry, sunny areas.
CANYON POPPY	white	June	4 ft.	A large poppy. Plant well apart.
CARDINAL LARKSPUR	scarlet	August	3 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart. A rather delicate plant.
CARPATHIAN BELLFLOWER	blue, white	June-Oct.	8 in.	Plant 1 ft. apart. Self-sowing.
CELANDINE POPPY	yellow	May	2 ft.	Plant well apart.
CHEDDAR PINK	various	June		Plant 9 in. apart. A spreading plant.
COLORADO COLUMBINE	blue and white	April	1 1/2 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart. Self-sowing.
CYPRESS SPURGE	yellow	June	1.ft.	Plant 9 in. apart. Good foliage.
DANES’ BLOOD	violet	July-Aug.	1 1/4 ft.	Plant 9 in. apart.
DAVID’S ASTILBE	rose	June-July	5 ft.	Plant 1 1/2 ft. apart in moist soil.
DRAGON’S HEAD	purple	June-July	2 ft.	Plant 9 in. apart. Resembles Mint.
DROPMORE BUGLOSS	deep blue	June-July	3-5 ft.	Plant 3 ft. apart. Shade tolerant.
DWARF PINK RAY	boltonia pink	September	2 ft.	One of the best perennials. Plant 1 ft. apart.
EARLY BUGLOSS	blue	May-June	11/4 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart. Shade tolerant
EARLY TORCH LILY	yellow	Aug.-Sept.	11/2 ft-	A showy plant. Set 11/2 ft. apart.
ENGLISH PRIMROSE	various	April-May	6 in	Good in most soil and in cool spots.
FORGET-ME-NOT	deep blue	June	9 in.	Plant 1 ft. apart. A spreading plant. Very popular.
FOXGLOVE PENSTEMON	purple	June-July	3 ft.	Easy to grow in woodsy soil.
FRINGED BLEEDING HEART	rose	May-Sept.	11/2 ft.	Good edging. Grows in partial shade.
GLOBE CENTAUREA	yellow	July	11/2ft.	Plant 11/2 ft. apart.
GOATSBEARD	cream	June-July	5 ft.	Plant 2 ft. apart.
GOLDEN COLUMBINE	yellow	May-Aug.	2 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart.
GOLDEN GLOW	orange	July-Sept.	5 ft.	A spreading plant.
GOLDENTUFT	yellow	May	11/2 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart.
GRASS PINK	rose	June	8 in.	Plant 9 in. apart.
IBERIAN GERANIUM	blue, white	June	1 ft.	Plant 9 in. apart.
ICELAND POPPY	yellow, orange	June-Oct.	1 ft.	Short-lived. Excellent for cuttings.
JAPANESE PRIMROSE	white to crimson	June	2 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart. Moist soil, cool spots best.
JOE-PYE WEED	purple	August	6 ft.	Plant 2 ft. apart in wet places.
LARKSPUR	light blue	June-Sept	2 ft.	Plant 10 in. apart. Rather delicate.
LEBANON STONE CRESS	pink	April	9 in.	Plant 6 in. apart. Grows in shady spots.
LILAC GERANIUM	violet	June	1 ft.	Plant 9 in. apart.
CATMINT MUSSIN	lavender-blue	May-Sept.	1 ft.	A spreading plant. Fine edging.
OLYMPIC POPPY	orange	June-Oct.	2 ft.	A spreading plant.
ORIENTAL POPPY	various	June	3 ft.	Showy flowers.
PEONY	white, pink, red	May-June	1 1/2-4 ft	A hardy, bushy plant.
PINK BEAUTY	scarlet	June-July	3 ft.	Plant 1 ft. apart. Long, tubular flowers.
ROSE MALLOW	pink, red, white	Aug.-Sept.	4-5 ft.	Plant 3 ft. apart in either wet or normal soil.
SHASTA DAISY	white	June-Sept.	2 ft.	Good for cutting.
YUNNAR MEADOW VINE	lilac	Aug.-Sept.	4 ft.	Plant 11/2 ft. apart. Good porch plant.

Planting Shrubs in Your Garden

In general, trees and shrubs are planted and cared for in the same way, the difference between them being chiefly one of height. One definition of the difference, however, is that while a tree has only one trunk, a shrub has several stems or trunks.

Not so long ago the number of reliable shrubs was quite limited, but today the many new hybrids have lengthened the list and the gardener’s choice is almost endless. No matter the region, it is now possible to plant shrubs that will satisfy color needs, bloom at various seasons, cover bare spots where grass won’t grow, or grow in such profusion and depth that screening purposes are served.

Shrubs are valuable to the gardener because they bridge the gap between trees and flowers. As do trees, they serve as boundary markers, soften the lines of buildings, act as a decorative background for flower beds and hide unsightly views. Like flowers, they add character and shape to the garden, blooming forth with colorful blossoms and attracting birds with their berries. One big item in their favor is that they mature rapidly, yet remain as hardy and long-lived as trees.

Planting and Care

Planting of shrubs is little different from planting of trees. Early spring is the most favourable time since it gives the plant a long spell of good growing weather to get re-established. In the milder sections of the country, however, transplanting may be done through the winter months. In New England, evergreens may be planted in September and May, and deciduous shrubs in October and May.

Dry roots are the chief cause of planting failures, and steps should be taken to prevent this -i.e., balling and bur lapping, and heeling in. After receiving shrubs from a nursery, water as soon as possible; shade them from sunshine at first, mulch the ground around them, and prune back severely. The older the plant you get, the more severely it will have to be cut back, so that in the long run, you come out just as well buying the less expensive, smaller shrubs. Forsythia and azalea may be moved while in flower, but most plants should not.

Watering in the fall, before the ground freezes, is important for box, azalea, rhododendron, mountain laurel and broadleaf evergreens, whose leaves lose moisture in winter.

Pruning of shrubs helps to keep them young and vigorous. Rather than cutting all branches off to an even length, prune out the older branches, even though they may be sound. With lilacs, for example, use a keyhole saw, and cut as close to the ground as possible, cutting out the oldest stems. Some shrubs need pruning every year, especially those which have dead branches as a result of winterkill. (These include some deutzias, hydrangeas, buddleia, spireas and privets.) Other shrubs such as rhododendron, azaleas, magnolia and buddleia should have the flower heads pruned off after blooming.

Choosing and Planting Vines in Your Garden

Vines can be the quick salvation of the new home owner. Fast-paced annuals will twine up a hastily erected pergola almost before summer starts, providing a cool, fragrant and beautiful awning.

By the way… Do you know what reveals your house and landscape, enhances the setting, extends the hours of enjoyment, provides safety and more? Answer Here!

Vines Soften Lines and Link Landscape

Annuals and perennials (or hardy vines, as perennials are called) are an inexpensive way of softening the lines of new buildings, linking them to the landscape. Decorative and functional, vines are often the answer for older homes as well; the ground-covering varieties serving as cover for foundations and banks, others spreading a carpet of flowering greenery over walls, making fences seem friendlier and stone buildings less harsh.

The methods by which vines climb will necessarily influence and determine your selection. Some vines, such as grape vine, have tendrils which reach out and grasp small objects to hold on to; these vines need a lattice or fence. Others, such as Boston ivy, have adhesive discs that fasten on to a brick or stone wall, and still others, such as the climbing hydrangea, hold to a masonry wall with small, aerial rootlets. Finally, there are those that climb by twining around other branches or poles, climbing from left to right, or right to left (like honeysuckle). This type can be parasitic in the worst sense, climbing over small bushes and trees and completely strangling them.

Train and Support

No vine should be unsupported, however, and attractive vines are those which are carefully trained and held up. Supports such as arbors, trellises and pergolas need not be elaborately constructed, since their function is to display the vine, not themselves. Wood or other material that does not require painting is ideal, for the natural woods are really more suitable as a background for vines than are the painted ones. If you have a wooden house and want vines on the walls, it is a good idea to construct a detachable trellis, hinged at the bottom so that it can swing outward when painting is going on. There will be sufficient flexibility in the tendrils to allow this.

Planting Tips

If you are planting annuals, ordinary digging in well-drained soil should suffice. But if you are planting perennials, you will want to plant them as well as any shrub; remember that if they are planted close to the foundation, the soil may be poor initially and may need preparation. The hole should be at least 2 feet square. Break up the bottom soil and mix in bone meal, peat moss, etc. If you are planting near the house, be careful to place the vine far enough from the overhanging eaves so that water will not drip on the leaves. In winter weather, wet leaves can freeze in the evening and crack. Also, if the vines are placed against a sunny wall they will get reflective heat, and so they should receive extra watering in hot weather.

Covering Things Up

For covering walls of houses, boulders, stone walls, etc., the ivies are, of course, used more than other vines. Boston ivy is the quickest growing. Japanese bittersweet [Euonymus radicans) is a good vine for walls, too; evergreen, it grows well on the north sides of buildings as well as on exposed locations.

Winter-creeper, in both large and small-leaved varieties, is a hardy vine for wall planting, and other vines that can cling without aid to concrete, brick and stone include Chinese trumpetcreeper, English ivy, Lowe ivy and Virginia creeper, sometimes called woodbine or American ivy. Virginia creeper is the ivy that twines around trees and covers the ground in woodlands, and while it makes a good building cover, it does become heavy and require thinning out as it grows older. Virginia creeper is also effective for providing shade. (Other shade-producing vines are grape, Dutchman’s pipe and silver vine.)

Many vines which are not self-supporting can be trellis-trained, and can add color and beauty to a house. Among the more showy varieties are wisteria, with its clustersof white topurple blossoms; clematis, which has a large flower appearing from early summer until fall; and trumpetcreeper, with its tropical-looking clusters of big scarlet and orange flowers during late summer.

There is also trumpet honeysuckle, which has clusters of red and yellow perfumed flowers; and climbing hydrangea, with its large white clusters. Some of the annual vines, such as the hyacinth bean which grows on strings and has many flowers, or the scarlet runner bean which has showy flowers, are good for shade, too.

Using as Ground Covers

For covering banks and ground where you have difficulty with grass, you might try periwinkle (also called running myrtle), an evergreen which has blue flowers all summer. Another evergreen is pachysandra, mentioned elsewhere; and there is moneywort which flattens against the ground.

Some attractive and fragrant-blossoming annuals that you might also consider are: nasturtium; balloon vine, which is good to cover fences; cypress vine, with a large number of small star-shaped flowers in orange, red and white, and the familiar morning-glory and moonflower plants.

Lawn Care - Mow Grass Using the Power of Diesel

With the price of oil continuing to climb the new “buzz” of renewable fuels and hybrid cars and engines continue to make the news. However, one “alternative” few which has been around for many years and can provide some relief when mowing lawns especially for commercial lawn care specialist is diesel powered lawn mowers.

Diesel does not have the same glamorous ring to it that some of the newer technology fuels have but diesel powered engines can provide 18% more energy compared to gasoline on a per unit of volume measurement.

For the homeowner this saving may not appear significant but for lawn care professionals the saving can be measured in real dollars besides fuel savings alone. Diesel engines prove to last 3 to 5 years longer than gasoline engines. The extends the time between equipment replacement. Also the engine parts inside are built stronger.

Don’t look at the fuel cost alone but all the other factors associated with operating an engine on an ongoing basis.

For example, when I first installed a diesel pump in my nursery I was surprised by the fuel savings. A gas engine used about 1.5 gallons per hour where the diesel used about 2/3 of a gallon. Over the course of years the fuel saving alone was significant.

Many homeowner also like the zero turn mowers available for mowing their lawn and they are all come with diesel engines if you want. Give deisel a serious look for your next lawn mower purchase.

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Japanese White Pine Dense and Conical Needs Full Sun and Good Drainage

The Japanese White Pine - Pinus parviflora - a dense and conical form when young. However, later it develops into a tree with a graceful, irregular shape, which is 25 to 50 feet tall.
Its needles are between 1 and 2.5 inches long, and grow in groups of five, giving it the name of five-needle pine.

The cones are between 1 and 4 inches long and are brownish-red. They last on the tree for 6 to 7 years. This tree belongs to the Pinaceae family, and grows mostly in the Northern climate. Like all pines, it needs the full sun and good drainage.

Pruning the roots while repotting can help to develop healthy roots. Branches can be pruned and wired in late autumn. The wire can be left on the tree for 6-8 months, at the most. New shoots need to be pinched to one-third of their length in the spring.

All the new shoots can be removed in the late spring every one or two years, provided that the tree is healthy. This will result in the formation of buds at the places where the shoots are removed. It will also cause the growth of very short internodes on the branches.

Young trees need to be repotted every 2 or 3 years, while older trees need it every 3 or 5 years. Repotting can be done in spring, before the candles open. It can also be done in late summer or in early autumn.

Different views are held by experts about the ideal soil mixture and about the importance of the fungus for the health of the tree. The general recommendation is a strong deep rectangular pot with a mixture that contains 50% soil, 10% peat and 40% coarse sand. Pines and other conifers need a fungus in the root ball to survive.

A slow-acting organic fertilizer is recommended, once a month, from early to late spring and from the end of summer to late autumn. Chemical fertilizers can be used every other week during the same period.

Lawn Care Treatments - Does Rain Effect Them?

Since we were in the middle or a tropical storm here in Florida the question must be asked - What about the lawn? Lawn care treatments are usually performed using granular products. This granular treatment many times is done with a fertilizer spreader or equipment similar. Once these products are applied they normally need some form of irrigation in order to be effective and begin “release the chemicals they hold.

Rain during or after a lawn treatment will be beneficial and will usually be enough as the necessary irrigation. It depends of if it is a quick shower or an good soaking rain.

Many of the products utilized for the control of weeds and some pests (like Trugreen) are systemic. Systemic products get absorbed into the plant’s system (yes grass is a plant) both by spraying, where the the leaves absorbing the spray material or by saturating the root system. Systemic products are usually preferred more effective because once they enter into the system of the plant they cannot be washed away.

Rain or irrigation is needed to help “push” the treatments into the lawns system but too much water can cause havoc in the landscape.

Mealy Bugs - Life Cycle and Insecticide

Mealy bugs have you ever seen them?

Have you ever looked at one of your houseplants and noticed what looked like cotton or blotches of powder all over the leaves? If so, you’ve seen mealy bugs. Naturally you’ll want to get them under control.

Mealybugs are cottony-looking insects with piercing/sucking mouth parts. This means like plant scale they suck the fluids from leaves and stems, and rob plants of essential nutrients.

Mealybugs excrete large amounts of honeydew, this is excellent “growing soil” for a black fungus called sooty mold. Sooty mold is unattractive, and interferes with photosynthesis, it can also retard the growth of the plant. This can also make floors sticky.

Sooty mold usually weathers away after removing the mealybug.

Ants feed on the honeydew and when ants find ants crawling around your indoor plants or observed making a nice trail from a plant. Take some time to examine your houseplants closely for these sucking pests.

Mealy bugs do well indoors - they love and live very well in warm, dry environments. Damaged plants look withered and may have a sticky sap on the leaves or stems. Mealybugs seem to deposit their eggs where the leaf and stem join. Mealybugs have a life cycle of about 30 days.

As with scale an easy method of control is to apply alcohol with cottons swabs directly on the mealy bug. Wiping down the foliage regularly and helping plants clean will help keep mealy bugs in check.

If a plant becomes severely infested with mealy bugs consider using safe neem to control houseplant pest naturally or insecticidal soap. Both can be found at your local garden center. Always read the label and wear appropriate safety equipment when applying any chemical.

Grass and Other Ground Cover Selections For Your Lawn

When you select seed for your lawn, the main consideration is the exposure to sun and shade your grounds afford. Most commercial blends are adapted to full sun or medium shade. A special blend should be used where there is less than three or four hours of sun-light a day, as under trees, or where soils are dry and poor. In general, heavy grass seed is most free from chaff an dist most economical in the long run, while a cheaper, lighter seed germinates less rapidly.

Kentucky bluegrass is considered the best lawn grass, but there are years when it is in short supply, and it has the disadvantage of needing a resting period in midsummer and, also, of soiling light-colored clothes. It does form a thick turf and it will grow in alkaline or slightly acid soil, resisting weeds to an extent.

For putting-green lawns for a small area on a terrace or in a garden, bent grasses are used. Colonial bent is widely used in mixtures, thriving as it does under less favorable conditions than those required by creeping bent or velvet bent. The bent grasses are low-growing, fast-spreading grasses, needing frequent mowing and top-dress.

Redtop combines well with Kentucky bluegrass because it rests in fall after the bluegrass has recovered, and it does not stain. Chewings fescue is a fine-textured shade grass. Maturing late in the season, the various fescues resist midsummer drought, grow well in acid soil and fight weeds. For new lawns, rye grass, a perennial, is a tough, quick-growing grass which helps keep out weeds until the lawn is under way. Bermuda grass is used in the South and the Southwest, where soil is sandy.

Whether or not clover is to be used with these grasses is a personal matter. With its white flower and its tendency to grow in patches, it spoils the continuity of the turf, but, on the other hand, it will grow in poor soil, edging out weeds that might grow in these areas.

A mixture of grasses gives better satisfaction than a single species as a rule, because the various grasses are active in development at different seasons. Mixtures stand up against disease and disorders that will attack one grass and leave another alone.

Other Ground Cover

In many cases cover other than grass is desirable. Foundation plantings, banks, shady places, all often require other cover. Good covers are dependable, inexpensive and not weedy.

For open sunny areas, banks, or where a large, high cover is wanted, wild trailing rose with its white blossom is most popular; it makes a thick mat of foliage 2 feet off the ground. Also in sunny places, various forms of juniper (e.g., creeping juniper, which is long, low and spreading; Waukegan juniper, blue-grey except in winter, when it is purple, and Sergeant juniper, a dense green type) form a mat 8 to 20 feet high. All are attractive either pruned or in a natural state.

For deep or light shade, there are evergreen vines such as the Baltic ivy and pachysandra, periwinkle with its blue-and-white spring flowers, and plumb ago which has brilliant blue flowers in the fall. English ivy is good for the shady north side of buildings. For soil too sandy for shrubs there is Scotch broom, which bears yellow blooms. Other covers include hay-scented fern, sandwort, lily of the valley, maiden pink, winter creeper thyme and phlox.

Suggestions are often made for cover which can take the place of grass for lawn, but such covers are usually much more difficult to maintain than grass, even though it is claimed they do not require mowing. Among them are chamomile, a flowering perennial used in medieval times for turf, and while fragrant and soft, untidy and weak; sandwort, which has rather fleshy leaves with a smooth surface. Sandwort grows 1 inch long and must be kept mowed to remove the seed stalks. Pearlwort, which has to be watered freely, is only practical in a hot, humid climate; it is a haven for grubs, moths, beetles and sow bugs. Dicondra, a low-creeping herb used on the West Coast for cover, is considered a weed by many, and while easy to grow, does not stand up well against abuse.

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